Beware of the Galloping Horse

        Today I worked some more on the X marks the spot, where anything goes as far as fabrics go. Whenever I get tired of the fabrics in the pile I dig deeper into the scraps. I even opened the blues tote and dug out some blues for variety. On this one I just mix it up with color, pattern and strip size and try not to make any combinations that are distracting or "galloping horses".
       I also did another pink round on the wacky log cabin and as I was sewing the pink I was looking for possible "galloping horses" in the strippy round. I remembered that on one block I had accidentally put the same fabrics together in a corner and have been debating all week whether to fix it or keep going and see if it became less visible. Well, I looked at each block and can't find the spot so it must be OK and I am leaving it.
       So what is a "galloping horse" you ask? I wish I could remember who the expression came from but I took it and shared it with every class I ever taught. (I got it from a lecture at a Quilter's Gathering in Westford one year and that is all I can remember and if anyone knows who it came from I would love to give credit). What it means is "don't sweat the small stuff". A lot of quilters obsess over every seam and fabric and color choice and use that darn seam ripper way too much. Unless you are making something to be judged, do you need to be perfect? If a man on a galloping horse can see it, it MUST be fixed! Take care of that "galloping horse" ASAP. So stand back, walk by, take a picture or look at it from a distance and if nothing catches your eye as out of place or distracting then you are good.

This is the beginner sampler that I
scorched right in the middle sashing

       An example:  When I was teaching a beginner sampler class I accidentally scorched a piece of sashing right in the middle of the class sample. I decided to leave it as an example for the class (2 lessons--don't scorch! and here's a galloping horse right here!). Let me say that as soon as I finished the last class and was ready to quilt the top I replaced that piece immediately and this is the finished wall hanging, minus scorch.
      So please don't be too hard on yourself when you are quilting. Watch for galloping horses and let the other stuff stay put and allow yourself to move on to new and exciting quilting!